


Looks like we might have made it.

by mamimi (hyemiyah)



Category: Ookiku Furikabutte | Big Windup!
Genre: M/M, the tragic and oblivious love of these two causes me a lot of pain
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-23
Updated: 2015-09-23
Packaged: 2018-04-23 00:20:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,179
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4856126
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hyemiyah/pseuds/mamimi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Haruna accepts Akimaru’s offer to go to a ski resort during holidays, the last thing he learns is how to snowboard.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Looks like we might have made it.

**Author's Note:**

> Originally written for the game season and posted [here](http://thegameseason.livejournal.com/7850.html).

  
  
  
  
  
  


  
Haruna doesn't become aware of it until they're far up into the mountains. Akimaru's dad declares they'll need to stop at a rest area because the snowfall is too heavy, and they need to put chains on the tires.  
  
The first image that flashes through Haruna's head when he hears this doesn't really make sense, so he asks Akimaru for a better description, too curious to wait six more kilometres.   
  
"Oh... it's... uhm... you'll see it when we get there," Akimaru says, uselessly, without even taking his eyes off his cell phone. He's watching yet another cat video. It's a complete waste of time, in Haruna's opinion. Akimaru should be finding ways to improve his batting technique—if he can even call the tragedy that is Akimaru at batting a 'technique'.   
  
"It's when you put chains around the tires, Motoki," Akimaru's dad says. "To get through the snow. Kyohei will show you." Haruna had no idea people needed to go to such extents just to spend the holiday at some ski resort. He's always been more of a summer person. Winter depresses him, and anyway, there's no baseball during winter.   
  
So he says, "I see," with a low voice. He puts his hand under his chin, as if to give the impression that he completely understood Akimaru's dad's explanation, even though he hasn’t. He's pretty sure the image he has in his head is completely wrong, but there are only two kilometres left until the rest area. He can wait.  
  
If this were any other day at practice or either of their houses—just the two of them—Haruna would have taken Akimaru's phone out of his hands, closed the stupid app with all the stupid cat videos, and searched for images of chained tires. Just to see if the image in his head is the right one. But they're in Akimaru's dad's car, and Akimaru's mum is here too, so he has to be in his best behaviour.  
  
Akimaru's parents have always been proud someone like him is best friends with someone like his youngest son. Haruna wants to live up to their expectations.   
  
Much to his surprise, though, Akimaru has stopped his unproductive cat video practice to search for images of chained tires. And yes, the image Haruna had in his head is nowhere near the real thing, but it's what Akimaru says next that ruins Haruna's entire existence. "It's like this,  _Motoki._ "  
  
Their shoulders are brushing, and even through all the fabric that separates their skin, Motoki can  _feel_  Akimaru's warmth. It's been years since he called him by his first name. _Years._  But they've been together forever, Motoki shouldn't feel like this all of a sudden. Even if it's normal for him to want to set his best friend on fire; it's not normal for him to want to set his best friend on fire with the heat flowing through his veins. Because that's what Motoki feels, like his entire body is made of flames.   
  
  
  
  
  


❆❆❆

  
  
  
  
  


  
"You mean your plan for the winter holidays is to just come to my house every day to eat all my food and nag?" Akimaru asked from the couch, not even bothering to look up at him. Haruna glared at him from the other end of the couch. When Akimaru didn't meet his eyes, Haruna went back to eating the last piece of cake Akimaru's oldest sister had bought the night before.  
  
Akimaru should have been thankful for this. Even though he had never told Haruna he wanted to spend time together like they used to, when they were kids, Haruna knew spending time with him made Akimaru happy. Akimaru didn't even have to say it, Haruna just  _knew_. He should've been over the moon, knowing that he could have all of Haruna's time, at least for the holidays. Okay, maybe Akimaru was making that face he makes when he's trying to tell Haruna he's being insufferable with his eyes, but Haruna knew, he just  _knew_  Akimaru was happy.  
  
"Yes," Haruna said with finality. He didn't want to hurt Akimaru's pride by forcing him to admit this was everything he had always dreamed of. The high school's field and the batting centre were going to be closed for the holidays, so Akimaru could have all of Haruna's attention. Sure, they would have to go to the park a couple of hours a day so Haruna could throw some pitches, but they would spend the rest of their time however they wanted. Haruna hated winter—there's no baseball during winter—so Akimaru could coax him into playing some video game, though, Haruna would prefer if Akimaru doesn't make him play any of those strategy games (strategies are for nerds like Takaya). Or watch movies, nothing involving horror, though. Haruna would prefer to watch romantic-comedies, or just comedies; action movies make him dizzy and he gets bored with dramas. Haruna was feeling generous; they had had a good summer tournament and he had received a couple of offers from some scouts. He was in high spirits, winter would soon be over and there would be the spring and summer tournaments to practise for.   
  
"Uhm... I'm going on a trip with my family though."   
  
Okay, Haruna was having trouble understanding this. He had just told his best friend he was willing to spend time with him, his  _precious_  time. Time he was supposed to be spending doing something  _productive_. Like  _finally_  making Akimaru learn how to bunt, or how to throw the ball correctly. What was Akimaru talking about?   
  
"You're going?" Haruna blurted out of mere indignation. Was Akimaru  _crazy_? He should have been worried about spring; he should be concerned about improving his non-existent baseball skills.   
  
"That's what I just told you," Akimaru said. Haruna was still making a face at him, but he knew Akimaru just didn't care. He knew Akimaru was immune to him by now. It took him years of hard work to achieve that, and Haruna had to admit it was quite impressive. But  _he_  was the one who was more impressive for having made Akimaru want to be immune to him in the first place. "You want to come? I'm sure my parents wouldn't mind."   
  
Haruna smirked at that. It all came down to that. In the end, Akimaru just wanted to spend time with him. It didn't matter if it was at home, or at this place they were going for the holidays. This was proof of Haruna's awesome mind and generous, giving character. "Maybe I'll come to keep you company."   
  
Akimaru finally looked up from the manga he was reading to stare at Haruna for a bit—surely admiring his good looking features—before saying, "Okay, whatever. So you're coming, too. We'll leave tomorrow at dawn."   
  
  
  
  
  


❆❆❆

  
  
  
  
  


  
At the rest area, Motoki finds out Akimaru is quite good at putting chains on the tires, or rather he doesn't suck at it as much as he sucks at bunting, or batting in general.   
  
Akimaru's parents went inside the shop to buy warm drinks and  _nikuman_ \--Akimaru's dad claims the shop sells the best nikuman in the country. And Motoki has never really been bothered by Akimaru's presence at all, but now he sort of wants to be inside the shop with Akimaru's parents instead. Granted, it's really cold, but he keeps staring at Akimaru's forearms and finding moles here and there. Moles Motoki knows where there before, he just never paid attention to them.   
  
"Motoki can you..." Akimaru trails off. "What are you doing over there? Come help me, didn't you want to know how this was done?"   
  
Motoki blushes at the mention of his given name. He did want to know, but now he thinks it'd be best if Akimaru weren't the one explaining it to him because he just spent twenty minutes staring at Akimaru working, and not at how the work was being done. "I'm good," he says, realising he sounds like a fool. Nobody asked him how he was feeling. So he laughs, sounding even more like a fool.   
  
Akimaru stares at him for a while, and Motoki might as well be on fire. He could melt all the snow; he could even melt the sun. Maybe he has a fever.  
  
"Are you okay, Motoki?" Now Akimaru sounds concerned. Maybe Motoki  _is_  sick, maybe there is something wrong with him after all. But he was feeling fine a few hours ago. "This part is pretty high, and it's going to get higher. The resort is at the top of the mountain."   
  
Yes, maybe that's it. Motoki isn't used to high places. But when Akimaru finally finishes with the tires and walks to Motoki, his heart beats so fast he thinks he's going to faint.  
  
"Get in the car and rest for a bit," Akimaru says, and pats Motoki on the shoulder before heading for the bathroom. And Motoki just stays there, paralysed. The warmth on the shoulder Akimaru just touched is spreading through his body. Motoki isn't cold anymore.   
  
  
  
  
  


❆❆❆

  
  
  
  
  


  
Motoki has known Akimaru for as long as he can remember, but he is finding things out about him he didn't know. For example: he had no idea Akimaru could be so good with his hands. Well, he knew Akimaru's hands could be gentle when it came to loosen up Motoki's arm muscles before a game, but he had no idea Akimaru could use those same hands to put chains on tires so effortlessly.   
  
Another thing Motoki didn't know about his friend is that he is apparently good at snowboarding. It comes to him as a surprise, simply because he wasn't expecting Akimaru to be that good. Or even any good at all. It's kind of unfair, in a way. Motoki attracts as much attention when he is on the mound, but right now he can't do anything about it.   
  
"How did he get to be so good?" he asks, mostly to himself. He watches from the bottom of the mountain, as Akimaru comes down the slope. They're inside the resort, where Motoki knows it's warm and cosy, but right now he feels a bit cold.   
  
Akimaru's mum offers him a hot drink, and Motoki bows a bit and mutters a “thank you”.   
  
"We've been coming here since he was a little kid. Oh, but you wouldn't remember. You spent most of your time practising baseball." Motoki has always liked Akimaru's mum. They have the same gentle eyes and the same lopsided smile, and their hair seems to be the same colour, too. Akimaru's dad's hair is darker. "But I'm glad you're here. Kyohei was always kind of lonely."   
  
Motoki smiles, he can feel his heart smiling as well. It's incredibly unsettling, so he finishes his drink, burning his tongue in the process, and heads out to put on the equipment Akimaru rented for him. "I'll be going now," he says, a bit clumsily because he just burnt his tongue. He bows and rushes outside.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Why is this  _so hard_?" Motoki complains. He just fell… again. He has no idea how people find this entertaining; he's cold and his butt is sore from constantly falling on the snow. In fact, his butt has been in the snow more than it has not. It's a useless activity. Nothing is gained from sliding down the top of a snowy mountain with a stupid board.  
  
"Do you want to head back?" Akimaru asks like the quitter that he is. Motoki, however, is no quitter. He has never quit anything in his life. Even that time he said he was going to quit baseball, he didn't quit. He was  _injured_  and had to spend time in rehabilitation and all, but he  _didn't quit_.   
  
"No."   
  
"It's getting dark, Motoki. We can try again tomorrow." Is Akimaru patronising him? Moreover, is Akimaru patronising him while calling him by his first name? Motoki shots him a death glare that soon has Akimaru putting his arms up in defeat. "Okay, okay. You want to try standing up again?"   
  
Motoki stretches his feet before him, with the board attached to his feet. He looks up at Akimaru, who didn't even have to try to get himself straight, and gets his approval. "Now put your weight on your lower half, balance your upper body and..."  
  
Even after Motoki's death glare, Akimaru still has the audacity to patronise him. Motoki wants to slap him in the head, except Akimaru's head is too far and Motoki's still trying to balance his upper body to be able to stand. "You're doing well, Motoki. Now just, don't stick your butt like that."   
  
It could be because Motoki wants to slap Akimaru's head real badly, but he's able to stand on the snow, with the stupid board. Motoki laughs a great laugh, one typical of great people like himself. He manages to slide for a couple of metres before falling again, and this time Akimaru is the one who's laughing.   
  
Motoki shots him another death glare, one more powerful than the last one. He feels a little silly, with his butt on the snow and his ears and cheeks red from the cold. He tried very hard all day and got nothing but butt bruises; he couldn't even make it to the top of the mountain. He's still Bunny Hill level, with kids ten years younger than him able to stand and balance themselves on their boards faster than he could. Motoki was  _this close_  to challenging them to bat one of his fastballs when they were making fun of him earlier, but since he's an honoured and dignified person, he took a deep breath and kept on trying. Such a good-for-nothing sport, this one. Could it even be considered a sport?   
  
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. It's just that you looked so happy when you were able to stand, it was cute," Akimaru says, and the burning sensation returns. Motoki wants to bury his face in the snow, and his entire body, too. Maybe he'll manage to melt all the snow and they’ll have no other choice but to go home where it's safe and warm. But then Akimaru offers him his hand, and Motoki thinks it may not be that bad. He'll try again tomorrow, he'll be able to get to the bottom without falling twelve million times. Maybe it'll only take him ten million times or something.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“Just how bad is your eyesight?” Motoki asks, Akimaru just got out of the shower and he’s dripping water  _everywhere_. Motoki doesn’t want his socks to get wet because then his feet will get wet and he’ll have to change his socks. Except he didn’t bring another pair and that’d mean he’ll have to wear his dirty socks and Motoki  _hates_  wearing dirty things. “You’re soaking the floor."  
  
"Oh, sorry." Akimaru almost trips on Motoki, which is ridiculous because Motoki is a tall, grown guy. Akimaru must be blind. "It's pretty bad, I can't really see much. I can't even see your face that well, everything's just a blur." Akimaru's face is too close to Motoki, so close Motoki can see his smooth skin and smell his shampoo.  
  
"Get off," Motoki says, pushing Akimaru's face off. And yes, his skin is as soft as it looks. The palm of Motoki's hand burns now, the part that touched Akimaru's jerk face. Motoki may be blushing, and he's lucky Akimaru is blind and can't see it.  
  
There are other things Motoki gets to see as Akimaru puts on his shirt, like the little moles that are spread all over his torso, and how smooth Akimaru's chest looks. There are moles that are big and brown, and other ones that are tiny and red. Motoki wants to connect all of them, to see what kind of picture they form. Maybe if Akimaru falls asleep first, he'll get to do it.  
  
When Akimaru finishes putting on his pyjamas and Motoki quickly averts his eyes and pretends to look at whatever is on the TV, Akimaru says, "Today was fun, Motoki." And _smiles_  at him. Like the evil master that he is. Motoki blushes all over and excuses himself to go to the bathroom, even though he really didn’t have to go and has never needed any permission to go do his business in the bathroom from anybody, much less Akimaru.  
  
  
  
  
  


❆❆❆

  
  
  
  
  


  
When Motoki wakes up the next morning, Akimaru is not in the room. It's almost noon, but it's not Motoki's fault he overslept. He's used to wake up at the break of dawn—earlier than that, sometimes. But he couldn't sleep at all last night. The sound his heart was making when it beat so soundly against his ribs didn't let him fall asleep. And the voice at the back of his head that kept telling him Akimaru was sleeping in the bed next to his made it all worse. Motoki is sure he spent a few hours watching Akimaru's eyelashes. He hadn't notice before, but Akimaru's eyelashes are long, and the same colour as his hair. Motoki found it fascinating, for some reason, and looked at them for longer than he'll ever admit. He even forgot to connect all of Akimaru's moles with permanent marker because he got distracted by the eyelashes.   
  
Everything is so ridiculous, lately. Motoki doesn't want to think about all the time he's wasted doing useless things. Maybe hanging out with Akimaru and letting him teach him how to snowboard has made Motoki lazy and weird. Maybe Motoki is turning into Akimaru. No. He doesn't want to think about that, the mere thought makes him a bit sick. He could never be as lazy and dull. People call Akimaru laid-back all the time, but Motoki knows they want to say lazy instead.  
  
Why is winter so cold? Why did Motoki agree to come to this place? Why does he need to put on all that stuff to snowboard? Why do people snowboard in the first place? What do they find fun about being cold and falling on their butts all the time? Why did he even come out of his room? Oh, yes. The Bunny Hill, he wants to graduate from the Bunny Hill and get on the chairlift. Of course, Akimaru has to sit next to him. The chairlift seems fun, but Motoki has never been on one, he could do something he shouldn't, fall, and die. He's too young to die; he has his whole brilliant future ahead of him. Motoki needs to find Akimaru first, so he can finally show him he can stand up on the board and they can get on the chairlift once and for all.  
  
But when Motoki gets outside, he finds Akimaru surrounded by girls. There are two of them, and they seem to be having fun. He... seems to be  _teaching them_  how to do something with the board. He keeps flexing his knees and bending his upper body back and forth. He looks ridiculous, if you ask Motoki. The girls don't seem to think so, though.   
  
"Motoki, over here!" Akimaru waves at him, like the idiot that he is. Who even waves at people these days? Why does Akimaru look so happy today? Is it because of the girls?  
  
"Yo," Motoki says. His voice low and his eyes on Akimaru. He doesn't need to look at the girls to know they're already swooning because of his awesome self and his awesome body. Even though they can't really see his body when he's wearing all those layers of clothes and heavy snowboard equipment.  
  
"Slept well, I see." Is Akimaru that much of an idiot? How could he say that? Motoki didn't fall asleep until the morning. "Oh, these are Satsuki-chan and Rina-chan. They want to learn how to come down smoothly."  
  
Motoki bows and mutters a greeting at the general direction of the girls. He's never been very good with them, even if they're all in love with him because he's handsome and he's Musashino's baseball team ace, captain, and clean-up hitter. Soon, everyone is going to know of his name and his greatness, and his vast and incredible baseball skills. The girls, however, seem to be more interested in Akimaru. They have no idea what they're getting themselves into, but Motoki can't blame them. He knows better than anyone about Akimaru's corrupt mind.  
  
Once, Motoki witnessed a girl confessing to Akimaru on the hall, outside his classroom. Motoki thought the girl was interested in him, since it was only natural she would fall for his splendour, but soon he realised she had become a victim of Akimaru's wickedness. Akimaru had accepted the girl's letter, but told her he could not return her feelings. He should get arrested, in Motoki's opinion. Trampling girls' hearts is a  _huge crime_. Motoki won't let him get away with that. Not this time, at least.  
  
"We're heading to the chairlift, are you coming?" The girls giggle when Akimaru motions them to start walking towards the queue. And there must be something in Motoki's face because Akimaru is looking at him as if there were something wrong with his face. "Motoki?" He asks, and Motoki doesn't know what he's doing with his face. It's too cold to even  _feel it_.   
  
"Yeah, sure. Go ahead," Motoki says after a while. Akimaru is still looking at him and the girls are already on the queue. Motoki wonders if Akimaru forgot Motoki can't get on the chairlift yet, because he can't even stand on his board. What is he going to do once they get to the top? Motoki wants to forget all about the tedious and futile sport call snowboarding and go back to Tokyo. Get on the mound, throw pitch after pitch until his shoulder starts burning. Until Akimaru comes and stops him, because Motoki doesn't know when to stop sometimes and he needs Akimaru to tell him. Except Akimaru will be here instead, with the snow and the girls that need him to teach them things, unlike Motoki, who's always the one trying to teach Akimaru about his own greatness, and the magnificent sport called baseball.   
  
"Aren't you coming?" How much more of an idiot can Akimaru be? Every time Motoki thinks he's seen the worst of Akimaru's idiocy, he comes and does something worse.   
  
"No," Motoki says. He can't believe Akimaru is going to make him say this. Motoki should just arrest him for being an idiot.   
  
"Why?" Seriously, Motoki has been so patient until now. He deserves to be able to smack Akimaru for being so dumb. Or maybe Motoki is being the dumb one, maybe this is another one of Akimaru's tricks to make Motoki admit he can't snowboard. That he's useless at snowboard and Akimaru is actually  _good at it_. That he has lost to him. At snowboard, that is. Only at snowboarding. Maybe this is Akimaru's revenge for all those years Motoki has pushed him to become a good baseball player. To be something else other than Motoki's personal catcher.   
  
Motoki can't take it anymore, so he sits on the snow, takes off his stupid board, and  _runs_. He can hear Akimaru calling his name behind him, and even though Motoki has no idea where he's running to, he knows he's fast. Akimaru won't be able to catch up on him.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Okay so maybe, just  _maybe_  Motoki should have noticed where he was running to. He shouldn't just have focused on trying to run as far away from Akimaru as he could, and should have paid attention of his surroundings. He has no idea where he is exactly. He doesn't even know if this is still part of the resort.   
  
When he takes out his cell phone, he notices there's no signal. He tries to breathe in and out and  _not panic_. But he could be eaten by a bear, or wild monkeys... do monkeys live in this part of Japan? Are they sensitive to the cold like Motoki is? Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to run away from Akimaru, maybe it would have been better to just punch Akimaru in the face and head back to his room.   
  
Coming here was a bad idea, after all. Motoki is disappointed and cold. He sits on the snow, resting his back on a tree trunk. Then he looks up to the sky. The sun is shining, but he is incredibly cold. And probably lost. He’ll die at his best age, and will be forever remembered as the guy who was destined for greatness. And Akimaru would probably die, too, but because of the guilt of being responsible of his best friend's death.   
  
"Motoki?"   
  
Motoki seems to be on the verge of dying now, he’s hallucinating. He just thought he heard Akimaru calling his name-  
  
"Motoki?"   
  
He's not just hearing Akimaru, now he's seeing him, too. All sweaty and concerned, and how can he be sweating so much in this weather? This is clearly a dream, although Motoki’s sure he isn't dreaming. Maybe he’s already dead.  
  
"Why did you run off?" Apparently, Akimaru is not a hallucination and Motoki is not dead or dying. He's just cold. He sees Akimaru taking his gloved hand off his pocket, and wishes he were small enough for Akimaru to put him in his pocket and feel warm.   
  
"What about the girls?" Motoki asks, swallowing his pride because he's just too cold. He sounds cold and lame. Hopefully more cold than lame.   
  
"Huh?" Akimaru is still looking at Motoki like he was earlier, when he told the girls to wait for him to get on the chairlift. There must be something wrong with Motoki's face, but he can't see his own face. He can't even feel it because of the freezing weather.   
  
"You know snowboard isn't really a sport, right?" Motoki says. Akimaru sits next to him and Motoki has the urge to do something crazy like  _snuggle_  him. He's just too cold.   
  
Akimaru laughs, and Motoki wants to punch him in the face for laughing without his permission. "It is though."   
  
"Well, it shouldn't be. It doesn't really have history or great... pla... what do you even call them?"  
  
"Competitors?"  
  
"That. Competitors. Unlike baseball, which is a  _real_  sport. One you play with a team."  
  
" _You_  don't really need a team though," Akimaru says, and there's something in his voice that makes him sound sad. Is he sad? "Sometimes I think you don't even need me."  
  
"What are you talking about? Of course I need you. I mean, a pitcher needs a catcher."   
  
Akimaru sighs and Motoki has the sinking feeling maybe Akimaru was talking about something entirely different. It's not Motoki’s fault, it’s just too hard to think when you're freezing to death.   
  
"We should head back," Akimaru says. And yes, there's definitely something else there. Something Akimaru isn't telling him. Maybe he is really disappointed about the girls.   
  
"I don't want to go back." Motoki doesn't take Akimaru's hand when he offers it to him. Even though he wants to, so bad. Akimaru is always so warm.   
  
"Okay." Akimaru starts to walk away, but then he come back and sits next to Motoki again. "You're going to freeze to death."   
  
Motoki thinks maybe freezing to death is better than not having Akimaru's full attention. Seeing him with those girls broke something inside Motoki. He doesn't want to go back, or rather, he wants to, but he doesn't want to go back with Akimaru because that'd mean he'd lose to those girls again. But without Akimaru Motoki'd still be lost here in the woods.  
  
When Motoki doesn't reply, Akimaru sighs again and says, "Why is it everything so impossible with you?"   
  
"Impossible? What do you mean  _impossible_? Everything is always  _possible_  with me, I make things happen. I inspire people to become better, to chase their dreams." Yes, Haruna Motoki is great. The best there ever was.   
  
"Do you ever listen to the things you say?" Is Akimaru mad? Is Akimaru mad  _at him_? How dare he? "I thought you were having a good time, I thought..."  
  
"I'm having a terrible time," Motoki says, now he's mad, too. How dare Akimaru get mad at him? After all the evil things he did to Motoki since this trip begun. "I'm freezing and I'll probably die here and nobody will know of my baseball glory."  
  
"You're useless at anything that isn't baseball, Motoki," Akimaru says with finality.   
  
Motoki opens his mouth, but hearing Akimaru say his name is still doing weird things to him, so he closes it. He takes a minute to process Akimaru's words.  _Useless at anything that isn't baseball._  Isn't Akimaru the one who's useless? Motoki knows lots of things, and anyway, it’s not that he's just good at baseball. He's  _the best_. "You suck," he says, when he opens his mouth again. Akimaru looks at him with his mouth wide open, and starts laughing.   
  
"Took you long enough to react," Akimaru stands up again, and this time Motoki takes his hand when he offers it to him. "Let's go back."   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I may like you," Motoki blurts out without thinking. He was just looking at how Akimaru was still holding his hand, and thinking how warm it felt. How it would be better if Akimaru put both of their hands inside his winter coat pocket.   
  
Akimaru stops in his tracks, and Motoki finally realises what he just said. There's no turning back now. But Akimaru must like him, too. There is just no way Akimaru doesn't like him, except... maybe Akimaru is not into boys? Has Akimaru ever talked to him about liking someone? Did he like one of the girls that they abandoned earlier? Is Akimaru going to leave Motoki to freeze to death in the middle of nowhere?   
  
"Say it again," Akimaru says. He turns to look at Motoki and his cheeks are pink. It's too cute. Motoki should arrest him once and for all. Being so cute must be a crime.   
  
"I think I like you," Motoki says.   
  
"You  _think_?"   
  
"Okay, I'm pretty sure. Like 78% sure."   
  
"That's enough," Akimaru says. His cheeks are still pink, but by the way they're burning, Motoki thinks his cheeks should be pink, too. "What made you come to this realisation? Was it the girls?"   
  
Motoki knew the whole affair with the girls was a trap, but Akimaru is smiling now. "No. I'll never tell you."  
  
  
  
  
  


❆❆❆

  
  
  
  
  


  
“Are you sure you’re ready?” Akimaru asks, and Motoki just has to look at him, not because Akimaru is pretty or anything like that, but because he’s being incredibly ridiculous about this. “I’m not sure you know how dangerous this is.”   
  
Motoki knows of something more dangerous than stupid cat videos so he says, “Shut up, Kyohei.” And witnesses proudly how Kyohei’s cheeks start to turn pink. “Just press play already.”   
  
They spend the entire ride back watching cat videos. Motoki has to admit the cats are cute. But he thinks Kyohei is way cuter when he blushes whenever Motoki calls him by his first name.  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> 1\. The title comes from Blur’s _To The End._  
>  2\. Nikuman is the Japanese word for baozi or pork bun.
> 
>  
> 
> Thank you Alicia, always and forever.


End file.
